A range of courses has been announced by the Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley.

The Bite Size learning courses allow people to take short courses in a range of subjects to help personal development or take the first steps back into learning

Last year, 70 per cent of those who took part in Bite Size learning opportunities gained further skills and qualifications.

Findings also show that 32 per cent of last year's Bite Size learners who had not had any interest in learning since leaving school went onto further courses.

Susan Reynolds, from Hartlepool, has benefited from the Bite Size learning experience and said it was the springboard she needed to achieve a GCSE qualification in maths.

Ms Reynolds, who works as a computer tutor at The Annexe, in Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool, initially decided to try the Bite Size maths course to promote them to other people at the centre.

She said: "I wanted to better understand what people can get out of Bite Size and was amazed at how much confidence it gave me to progress my learning.

"To be honest, without the initial Bite Size course I wouldn't have bothered to do any learning in numeracy, but now I am working towards an online maths course to get my level two qualification and also a GCSE pass."

For more details, call Darlington College of Technology on (01325) 503081, Hartlepool Adult Education Service on (01429) 868616, Middlesbrough Adult Education Service on (01642) 8181480, Redcar Adult Education Service on (01642) 490409 or Stockton Adult Education Service on (01642) 393505